Latest releases
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4,036 releases
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Gaston exposes Assembly squander on Irish translation
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston says over £437,000 has been spent on Irish language interpretation in the Assembly, calling it a waste, and criticises the simultaneous translation system made permanent after a six-month review. His release also cites Assembly Commission answers on the Interpretation and…
Disability and equality Public finance and taxation Issue: Assembly Commission review of Irish language interpretation service Original release: Gaston exposes Assembly squander on Irish translation (opens in a new tab)
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Givan announces £1.2m Pre-School Support Fund for children with…
Education Minister Paul Givan announces a £1.2million pilot Pre-School Education Inclusion Support Fund for young children with special educational needs. Settings with a child undergoing statutory assessment will receive £750 per month per class, with payments in tranches.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Pre-School Education Inclusion Support Fund pilot announcement Original release: Givan announces £1.2m Pre-School Support Fund for children with… (opens in a new tab)
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Ferguson welcomes 674 new homes for Derry
Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson welcomes planning approval from Derry City and Strabane Council for 674 homes in the Waterside, a development she says is worth over £100 million. She also urges London to provide fairer funding to the Executive so more social and affordable housing can be built.
Housing Local government Issue: Derry City and Strabane Council approval of 674 Waterside homes Original release: Ferguson welcomes 674 new homes for Derry (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong welcomes increased health support for people in receipt of Universal Credit.
Alliance Strangford MLA Kellie Armstrong welcomes plans to extend free sight tests, dental treatment and hospital travel help to Universal Credit claimants in Northern Ireland, saying realignment with the UK should happen within six months, followed by a six-week consultation.
Health Social security and welfare Issue: Universal Credit eyecare and health cost entitlement realignment with UK Original release: Armstrong welcomes increased health support for people in receipt of Universal Credit. (opens in a new tab)
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North Antrim MP joins All Party Parliamentary Group for British Buses
TUV MP Jim Allister says he has joined the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Buses to help shape government policy supporting the bus-building sector, which he says matters to North Antrim's economy. He calls for government investment in hydrogen infrastructure and says Wrightbus should…
Economy and employment Infrastructure and transport Issue: Jim Allister joins All Party Parliamentary Group for British Buses Original release: North Antrim MP joins All Party Parliamentary Group for British Buses (opens in a new tab)
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Relevant decision makers must be held accountable for hospital fiasco…
Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds, the DUP's health spokesperson, welcomes the Belfast Trust and Department of Health being called to brief the Health Committee on the new Royal Victoria maternity hospital. She calls for accountability over delays, rising costs and bacteria in water pipework.
Health Infrastructure and transport Issue: Belfast Trust and Department of Health appearance before Health Committee on maternity hospital Original release: Relevant decision makers must be held accountable for hospital fiasco… (opens in a new tab)
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Website launched to build support for Mutual Enforcement Bill
TUV leader Jim Allister says a new website urges people across the UK to write to their MPs backing his Mutual Enforcement Bill ahead of its Second Reading on 6 December. He highlights support from Unionist MPs, several Conservative and Reform UK figures and Labour MP Graham Stringer.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Website launch to build support for Mutual Enforcement Bill Original release: Website launched to build support for Mutual Enforcement Bill (opens in a new tab)
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Robinson challenges Prime Minister
DUP Leader Gavin Robinson MP says he challenged the Prime Minister over the Labour budget in a Westminster meeting, claiming it is taxing businesses to death. He calls on Labour to implement Safeguarding the Union commitments and says Intertrade UK and the Independent Monitoring Panel must be…
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: Labour budget and DUP meeting with Prime Minister Starmer Original release: Robinson challenges Prime Minister (opens in a new tab)
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McLaughlin urges Executive to do more to support women and girls
SDLP Opposition MLA Sinéad McLaughlin says the Executive must do more to support frontline services, after Women's Aid's annual report showed almost 11,000 referrals in 2023/24, up 600 on the previous year. She calls for greater investment across all departments.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Women's Aid annual report 2023/24 referrals increase Original release: McLaughlin urges Executive to do more to support women and girls (opens in a new tab)
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Eirgrid Project yet Another Example of Government Waste and a Litany of Broken Promises
Aontú Cllr Emer Tóibín, a Meath East candidate, says EirGrid's refusal to meet residents over its 17-year North-South project is wasteful and calls for government accountability for over €30 million in taxpayer spending. She also criticises government TDs for not co-signing Peadar Tóibín's…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: EirGrid refusal to meet communities over North-South Interconnector pylons Original release: Eirgrid Project yet Another Example of Government Waste and a Litany of Broken Promises (opens in a new tab)
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Dublin silence on border checks highlights hypocrisy: Dodds
DUP peer Lord Dodds says Irish immigration checks on people crossing the border expose Irish governments' earlier opposition to a hard border as hypocrisy, calling for the UK government to assert sovereignty over the Irish Sea border and pointing to mutual enforcement as an alternative.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: Irish immigration checks on people crossing the border Original release: Dublin silence on border checks highlights hypocrisy: Dodds (opens in a new tab)
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‘Decisive general election can be a watershed for a new future’ – Kearney
Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA writes in An Phoblacht that voters in the 26 counties face a choice between Sinn Féin's plan for change and more of the same from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. He calls for unity referendum dates to be set before the decade ends, citing housing…
Constitutional affairs Economy and employment Issue: Irish general election 2024 Sinn Féin campaign and Irish unity Original release: ‘Decisive general election can be a watershed for a new future’ – Kearney (opens in a new tab)
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‘No Dignity in Lying’: Carla Lockhart
DUP MLA Carla Lockhart argues that the 'dignity' language used by assisted suicide campaigners, such as Dignity in Dying, is a misleading framing. She says legalising assisted suicide would lower the perceived worth of disabled, poor and homeless people, citing a Canadian poll on MAID eligibility.
Disability and equality Health Original release: ‘No Dignity in Lying’: Carla Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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Disappointment at lack of details on SEN End to End Review, says Alliance representatives
Education Disability and equality Original release: Disappointment at lack of details on SEN End to End Review, says Alliance representatives (opens in a new tab)
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Allister defends Ulster Banner display at Commonwealth Games
TUV leader Jim Allister has written to Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland chief executive Conal Heatley criticising comments about changing the Ulster Banner's use at the Games. He says the remarks politicise CWGNI, cites the Flags, Identity, Culture and Traditions Report, and argues athletes…
Community relations and legacy Constitutional affairs Issue: Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland proposal to change Ulster Banner use Original release: Allister defends Ulster Banner display at Commonwealth Games (opens in a new tab)
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Only a Sinn Féin government will drive forward plans for a United Ireland – Mary Lou McDonald
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald says a Sinn Féin-led administration alone would push forward reunification plans, pledging to begin preparations and seek border polls by the end of the decade. Her plan includes a Green Paper, a reunification unit and a minister for reunification.
Constitutional affairs Original release: Only a Sinn Féin government will drive forward plans for a United Ireland – Mary Lou McDonald (opens in a new tab)
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Infrastructure Minister burying his head in the sand over NI Water funding, says McMurray.
Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson Andy McMurray says the Infrastructure Minister is ignoring the crisis in NI Water’s funding, dismisses the minister’s claim the model works and urges adoption of Alliance’s mutualised funding blueprint to sustain water and wastewater investment.
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: John O'Dowd comments on NI Water funding model Original release: Infrastructure Minister burying his head in the sand over NI Water funding, says McMurray. (opens in a new tab)
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Our parks must be accessible and inclusive for all, says Ashe, welcoming agreement on communication board motion.
Alliance Comber Councillor Rachel Ashe welcomes Ards and North Down Borough Council's agreement to install communication boards in Tier 1 play parks, after the feasibility report on her motion was approved. Ashe says the boards will help children with speech, language or autism-related…
Disability and equality Local government Issue: Ards and North Down communication boards in Tier 1 play parks Original release: Our parks must be accessible and inclusive for all, says Ashe, welcoming agreement on communication board motion. (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds welcomes NI Select Committee in Lords
Lord Dodds of Duncairn welcomes the House of Lords’ approval of a newly formed Northern Ireland Select Committee to examine EU legislation and the Protocol/Windsor Framework, noting it will spotlight rules that currently lack input from NI elected representatives.
Constitutional affairs International affairs Issue: House of Lords approves NI Select Committee on EU legislation Original release: Dodds welcomes NI Select Committee in Lords (opens in a new tab)
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McReynolds calls for improved road safety to boost active travel, following publication of inquiry
Alliance MLA Peter McReynolds, Chair of the Assembly All-Party Group for Active Travel, calls for road safety improvements to encourage more cycling and ease congestion, following publication of a cycling inquiry with Cycling UK Northern Ireland. He says the inquiry has been shared with the…
Infrastructure and transport Issue: Assembly All-Party Group for Active Travel cycling inquiry publication Original release: McReynolds calls for improved road safety to boost active travel, following publication of inquiry (opens in a new tab)